Being Understood

Question #1. What global issues and crises (e.g., global warming, mass migration) can challenge an individual’s values and ethics? What forums can an individual use to help better understand how to think, feel, and act?

I believe that the best forum an individual can use to help think, feel, and act is through being understood. This begins with raising awareness of understanding of self. There are different ways to find deeper understanding in self and for me I have found this through poetry, meditation, and yoga. By spending more time with myself rather than trying to help others, I have found great joy in the journey of facing my deepest insecurities and fears with myself and regulating those feelings through healthy vices such as running, meaningfully connecting with friends, and family, cooking, and writing. Deeper introspection has enabled me to reduce my ego, reduce my need to be liked, and forgive myself for trying to please others to help them reach their full potential of healthiness and happiness.

Poem #1: Being Understood

Fear of Misunderstood
Distrust of Dislikeability
Wasted Potential Ticks

Florida spring Breakers
Past Self Doppleganger
Unconsciously Inflating Ego

Helplessly Helping Others
Tantalizing Listening Potential
Appreciation Failing Freely

Inspiring Others Up
Prescription Promotes Disease
Ear Gratitude Unlocks Understanding

Question #2. What gives you a sense of meaning and purpose in your life? Share what you can about what keeps you focussed on achieving.

I used to be extremely dependent on helping and serving other people until I realized my worth and happiness became dependent on other people rather than myself. Although codependency can positively change lives and I was able to inspire many people, I have transferred my priorities of meaning to being able to understand myself, listening to others and asking thoughtful questions, and giving unconditional hope and love to friends and family who keep me going every day!

Poem #2 Wishful Thinking

Why Does Someone
Wish Happiness Upon
Other People's Lives

How Do You
Know My Needs
Without Understanding Me

Health Is Wealth
Feelings are Fleeting
Accountability Is Stealth
Attachment is Cheating

You Do You
Zoom Out Bias
Find Your Flow
Masterpiece is The Journey!

Question #3. What can challenge your sense of connectedness to others or purposes? How do you protect yourself from doubt?

When other individuals have lack of care towards themselves or the environment it is extremely frustrating for me. However, I have learned two important lessons through the frustration. 1. You can't change other people and the more you try to change them, the more likely they are to ignore healthy advice. 2. Why would I let someone else bring negative energy upon myself? This question has given me more inspiration to find creative ways to turn a lack of understanding into a moment of positive energy. I view each negative action I see as a step forward on their journey. Perhaps someone is smoking a cigarette on Earth Day and throws it on the grass. I can protect myself from cheering him on in my mind by thinking about his progress toward quitting smoking and how difficult it must be to quit with his current addiction and situation. Perhaps he just lost his job. Perhaps last year he smoked an entire pack on Earth Day and now he is down to 2 cigarettes a day. I find lots of gratitude during these moments thinking about how far I have come from my negative habits and how we all are learning and growing every day at our own pace. Our Connectedness is that we are all in this battlefield of life doing the best we can, I try not to forget that :)

Poem #3 Forgiveness

Puddles Reflect Perspective
Paved Roads Welcome
Unselfishly Adapting Admirably

Nowhere To Go
Nothing To Say
Synergistically Coexisting Space

Teaches Reflect Wisdom
Students Escape Effort
Stop Signs Fleeting

Lowering The Bar
Unlocks The heart
Complacently Wasting Potential